Fort to Graduate with honours at the Vaal
POTENTIAL: WESTERN FORT COULD BE A SA DERBY CANDIDATE
Soul Connection and Samoa could help punters collect.
Paul Peter and Warren Kennedy seem sure to carry on their winning way at the Vaal tomorrow, as Western Fort in Race 7 looks the best bet on the card.
This half-brother to very useful juvenile filly Dad’s Catch is way above average himself.
He raced extremely greenly and wandered all over the track after hitting the front in his post maiden appearance, but still came home lonely by four lengths – a margin which hugely flattered his befuddled MR72 Handicap rivals.
This looks a potential SA Derby candidate and while not technically well-in in this 2000m Graduation Plate, he is going to end up with a merit rating way higher than his current 91.
Despite facing far stronger opposition, this son of Elusive Fort is an extremely confident selection and can be bankered in all exotics.
Last Of The Legend, At Hand, and the only filly in the race, Diorama, look most likely to give cheek.
As is often the case in Plate races, the filly is weighted to win due to her sex allowance. But as we have all seen on many an occasion, it very seldom works out that way.
Apart from that it looks a trappy midweek card. But one who does appeal is Soul Connection in Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1000m.
This Ashley Fortune-trained Vercingetorix filly has improved with each of her three runs, placing in her last two.
The services of Piere Strydom have now been booked, which could be just the impetus required to get her over the line first.
She has 0.5 lengths to find on top-rated Blow Me Down based on their previous meeting, but that one has had seven outings and Soul Connection has far greater scope. She can be expected to do the business.
A speculative Eachway chance in the opening Maiden Plate over 1000m for work riders is Samoa.
This mare has placed in five of her eight starts and shows some good toe, so the return to the minimum trip in weak company may be just what the doctor ordered. To take a bet
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